PITTSBURGH—Sometime Saturday night, when the Steelers are finished with their team meeting at the hotel in advance of their Sunday game against the Bengals, the players will gather around defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and listen to a speech from their Hall of Fame assistant coach.

But this is no ordinary narrative designed to inspire the players or break down the weaknesses of the opponent.

Dick LeBeau will recite “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” to the Steelers on Saturday night, speaking every line and verse from memory. (AP Photo)

LeBeau will stand in front of the players and recite “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” never reading from the book and touching every line and verse from memory. It is just another wondrous talent for the man who had 62 career interceptions as an NFL cornerback and is considered one of the greatest defensive coordinators in league history.

“It’s great,” wide receiver Mike Wallace said. “It takes you back to when you’re 9 years old. You feel like a kid again. I love it. I love it every year when he does it. It never gets old.”

LeBeau’s recital has become a Steelers tradition at the team hotel on the Saturday night before Christmas. And it is a moment all the players anticipate and remember.

“I enjoy it every year,” said Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu. “I especially like to see the young guys’ faces, and I especially like the offense to experience it because they get to see how special the coach is we have on defense.”

LeBeau, 75, learned to recite the story from memory in his 20s, when he did it for his aunts. “They really embraced the Christmas spirit and I wanted to do it for them,” LeBeau said. So he would do the same thing every Christmas Eve growing up in London, Ohio. He even adapts his own special effects for his recital.

“It’s really from the heart, and it means so much for the team,” Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey said. “Everybody who gets to hear that kind of gets the chills in their body. It’s awesome to hear. I wish all you guys could get the chance to hear that.”

The Steelers do more, though, than just listen to LeBeau recite the Christmastime favorite. They also obey his No. 1 commandment—do not allow the big play—on the field.

Through 14 games, they have allowed the fewest passes of 20 yards or longer (25) and 40 yards or longer (2) in the league. If that continues, it would be the third year in a row the Steelers have led the league in yielding the fewest passes of 20 yards or more and the second year in row for passes of 40 yards or longer.

What’s more, they have allowed a league-low four rushes of 20 yards or longer, though two have come in the past three games. The Steelers have given up just 29 plays of 20 yards or longer this season, easily the lowest total in the league.

They went 20 games in a row without allowing a 300-yard passer until the Cowboys' Tony Romo had 341 against them last week. And they went seven games in a row without allowing a 200-yard passer until Philip Rivers passed for 200 on Dec. 9. Each streak was the longest in the NFL at the time.

If they continue on their pace, this will be the third time in the past five years they will have ranked No. 1 in the league in pass defense.

“It’s team defense,” LeBeau said. “You’ve got to have pressure, you’ve got to play coverage together, and you’ve got to hold up in the back end.”

That LeBeau has been able to do this with injuries to many of his key defensive players—Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and Ike Taylor—makes the accomplishment all the more amazing.

“What it comes down to is the coaches being able to come up with schemes based on their talent and putting them in the best possible position to succeed—Dick LeBeau, he’s figured that out,” Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount said. “He knows how to put them in those positions.”